Cotton hulling and cleaning machine



929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR J. C. CoNRhD BY ATTORNEY J. C. CONRAD COTTON HULLING AND CLEANING/MACHINE Filed May 23 Aug, 26, 1930.

LG K WITNESSES A! TAUM Aug. 26, 1930.

J. c. CONRAD 1,774,422 COTTON HULLII QG AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 25, 29 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNESSES J.C.C wry/um BY ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1930.

,1. c. CONRAD COTTON HULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 23 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 f: INVENTOR J. C. Cowman MfQ uQ/g 5440 144.

ATTORNEY Aug. 26, 1930. J. c. CONRAD I 74A2 COTTON HULLING AND CLEANING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1929 4Sheets-$heat 4 E I ,1? 9 /E I 7 \ai aa WITNESSES 7 INVENTOR .CONRAO Patented Aug. 26, 1930 warren sures" JOSHUA C. CONRAD, OF CEMENT, OKLAHOMA COTTON HULLENG AND CLEANING MACHINE Application filed May 23,

This invention relates to a cotton hulling and cleaning machine, especially adapted for extracting hulls from bollie cotton, that cotton which has not attained maturity, but

5 which is also adapted for cleaning all kinds of cotton, including hand picked cotton, to better prepare it for the ginning operation.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of the indicated character is: which will embody improvements in the construction and operation thereof, to the end that cotton may be hulled and/or cleaned in a thorough and efficient manner.

Another object of the invention is the pro- 1 vision in a machine of the indicated character of improved means adapted to subject the bolls to a beating action, and to blasts of air, simultaneously, in the presence of a screen for the purpose of extracting the hulls cm the cotton, and also cleaning the cotton by separating small trash, stems, dust and other foreign matter therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of the combination of a movable endless belt having picker points and heaters which cooperate therewith for hulling bolls and for cleaning cotton.

Another object of the invent-ion is the provision of improved forms of heaters for a machine of the character mentioned.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the particular construction and operation of the parts, and combinations of said parts, hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side View of a machine embodying the features of'the present invention.

Figs. 2 and 2 represent a longitudinal sectional viewof the machine, portions being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of one of the beaters,-the section being taken on the line 33 of'Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one end of the beater shown in Fig. 3, the sectionbeing taken on the line 4L lof Fig. 3. a

Fig. 5 is transverse sectional View of an- 1929. Serial no. 365,429.

particularly to Figs. 2 and 2 it will be apcc:

parent, that the machine of the present invention includes a supporting frame structure 10, which supports a casingll of suitable construction. The casing at one end has afeed hopper or chute 12 for feeding the bolls or cotton into the casing 11 through the inlet 13. The casing 11 also is provided with an outlet chute l i for the seed cotton, and an outlet 15 for the hulls, stems and-Ilargepieces of trash. Arranged within the casing 11 near the top 16 thereof but spaced asuitable distance below the same are drums 17 and 18 respectively mounted to rotate with shafts 19 and 20 extending transversely of the casing 11. The opposite ends of the shaft 19 are journaled in suitable bearings on the frame 10, and said shaft 20 also has the opposite ends journaled in slidable bearings 21', on the frame 10. An endless band or belt 22 encircles the drums 17 and 18, and is provided with teeth, picker points or pins 23' disposed at an angle with respect to the surface of the band or belt. Preferably the band or belt 22will be made of card clothing, but any other suitable band or beltmay be used. Arranged in the chambcrQ-ibe? v. ire heaters whichmay be of any preferred types to cooperate with thebelt 22 in carrying out the hulling and cleaning operations. Any-suitable number and arrangement of boaters of any preferred types be provided to cooperate with the belt 22 in carrying out the hulling and cleaning operations. In the present instance there are two heaters of oz be. described, and live beaters 26 of another type to behereinafter described. The heaters 25' and 26 are mounted to rotate respectivelywith shafts 27, 28, 29,

30, 31, 32 and 83 journaled in suitable bearingson the frame structure'10. Abrea'lrer the screen 36. A spiral conveyor 38 is arranged inside of the hopper 37 at the bottom there of for a purpose to appear. A stripper roller 39 of any preferred type is arranged transversely within one end of the casing 11 to cooperate with the belt 22. The roller 39 is mounted on a shaft iO having its opposite ends respectively journaled in bearings 41.

The bearings 21 which support the shaft 20, and the bearings 41 which support the shaft 40 are secured to plates or the like 42 respectively on opposite sides or the frame 10. Each plate '-1-2 is slidably mounted so as to be adjustable, and this is accomplished by the provision of a screw 43 having one end turnably connected with a lug on the plate and said screw being in threading engagement with a lug 45 on said frame. The screw 48 has a hand wheel 46 for manipulating the same. It will now be understood. that manipulating the screws 43, the belt 22 is tightened thereby causing the lower lead thereof to be raised or lowered relative to the heaters 25 and 26, in order to ebtai Z, desired cooperation thereof when separating hulls from the cott: a or when chaining hand picked cotton. The roller 39 will be adjustable with the drum 18 in the manipulation of the screws 43 so as to properly cooperate with the belt 22. The upper lead of the belt 22 rests on a suitable suport supported by the side walls of the casing 11. Stripper rollers -18 and 50 and brush 1:9, like the roller 39 are arranged within the casing 11, above the upper lead to cooperate therewith for a pur pose to appear. The roller &8, brush 4S) and roller 50 are mounted respectively to rotate with shafts 51, 52 and 53 journaled in suitable hearings on the frame 10. A doil'er brush 54 is arranged within the casing 11 directly above the drum 17 at the entrance to the outlet chute 1i and is to rotate with a shaft 55 j ournaled in suitable hearings on the frame 10. A spiral conveyor 56 is arranged below the stripper roller 39 and includes a trough 57 within the casing 11 and a chute 58 on the outside of the casing 11, the upper end of the chute communicating with the trough 57 and the lower end thereof communicating with the chamber 24 as at 59. A spiral conveyor 60 including a trough 61 and chute (32 cooperate with each one of the stripper rollers 48 and 50, said chute 62 converging to a common opening 63 in communication with the chamber 24:.

Suitable driving means is provided iior driving the heaters 25 and 26 in the same di- 'ettion and the breaker or crusher 34. in an i )osite direction. The breaker or crusher d in a clockwise directi m and the and are thcl'ore rotated in a rter clockwise direction when it desi ed to separate the hul s from the cotton. The drums 17 and 18 will be rotated in a counter rdcckwise direction, also the stripper rohers 39, 1 8 and 50, whereas the brush roller 19 and the doi'l er brush 5% will be rotated in a clockwise direction. The dri g means is illustrated most clearly in Fig. 1, the showing being diagr anatic. It will be apparent that the drive sna'l't 6-1 transi'nits motion to ait 28 by pulleys and a belt The [ll 28 transmits motion to the shafts 19 1 by pulleys and belts 66 and 67. The

'- shaft 6 1; transmits motion to the beater usher shait by pulleys and a twistci 8. The shaft 35 transmits motion to ia'it i 1y pulleys and a twisted belt 69. art 1 transmits motion to the shade 233 by pulleys respctncly connected 3n and belts 70 and 71 which respeeencircle said pulleys. The shaiit 31 lso transn'iits motion to the shaft 51 by pulleys and a belt 171. The shaft 51 transmits motion to the shaft 53 by pulleys and a belt 72. The shaft 31 transmits motion to the sha it 29 by pulleys and a belt 73. The shaft transmits motion to the shaft by pulleys and a belt let. The drive shaft 64 transmits motion to the shaft of one of the conveyors 60 by pulleys and a belt "[5, and the other conveyor (30 is operated from the first conveyor by pulleys and a. belt 76, while pulleys and a belt 77 operate the conveyor 56 from the intermediate conveyor 60. Motion is transmitted 'lrom the shaf 29 to the shaft 55 of the dell'er brush by nilleys and a twisted belt 78. Motion. shaft 55 to the sh; t by pulleys and a belt 79. irlotion transmitted from the shaft 30 to the shaft oi the conveyor 38 by pulleys and a belt 80.

From the foregoing it will be apparent hat when it is tlGf-lllQCl to separate hulls from the cotton of bollie cotton, the bolls are fed into the chaml er 2 ot the machine. The breaker or crusher will crush unopened or closed bolls, and these crushed bolls will pass from under the breaker or crusher 34 to the heaters 25 and 2(3. The boaters and 2G, in accordance with the invention are designed and adapted to cooperate with the belt to set up both mechanical and pneumatic action. to extract or separate the hulls from the cot ton. The action will be continuous a nd cotten will be carried around by the belt 2.2 in the presence of the stripper rollers, due to the fact that cotton is caught on the teeth,

transmitted from toe rollers allow the cotton to pass along with picker points or pins 23 on the belt, together with some hulls and trash. The stripper the belt, but hulls, trash and some cotton are thrown back by the stripper roller 39 t0 the heaters, the matter enteringthe trough of the conveyor 56 and thusreturning to the chamber 24. The other stripper rollers 48 and 50 remove any remaining hulls; the rollers 48 and 50 removing said hulls into their related troughs 57 to be returned to the chamber 24. This expedient is resorted to in order to effect a thorough separation of the hulls from the cotton. When the machine is operating, the hulls fallback on the heaters, and are eventually ejected or pass out of the outlet 15 together with stems and large fragments of trash. The cotton travels around withthe belt 22 and is removed by the brush 54 into the outlet chute'14 from which it may be conveyed to any suitable point. The smaller fragments of trash, dirt, dust and other foreign matter is separated from the cotton by the screen 36, and is carried off bythe conveyor 38 at the bottom of the hopper 3'? to any suitable point of disposal. It will therefore be apparent that the cotton'is subjected to a thorough cleaning process, due to the fact thatit is shaken up and thrown against the under or lower lead of the belt 22, by the action of the heaters.

When it is desired to use the machine as a cleaner, the heaters may be caused to rotate in the same direction as breaker or crusher 34, by rearrangement of the belts for that purpose. Hand picked cotton fed into the chamber-24 through the inlet 13 will be moved along by the heaters in the presence of the screen 36 and all impurities will be separated therefrom. The cotton will be delivered out of an opening in the-wall of an outlet 15 which is controlled by a valve member 81, by moving said valve member 81 to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. The

1 impurities or other foreignmatter will drop into the hopper 37 to be carried 0% bylthe conveyor 38. It will be obvious that if the machine is used in conjunction with agin, the cotton will be cleaned in a beneficial manner to better prepare it'for the ginning operation.

As before stated, any suitable types of heaters may be used in conjunction with the belt and screen, and that itis also contem plated to carry out cleaning operations as well as hull extracting operations pneumatically;

As regards the mechanical phase of cleaning and entractmg the hulls, the heaters may consist of a shaft .85 having rods disposed transversely thereof to present radial beater members 86, as shown in Fig. 8. The type of beatershown in Fig. 9 mav'also be used consisting of a shaft 87 having mounted thereona drum 88, the cylindrical wall 89 of which is made up; of wood lagging having spikes'90 driven therein to present beater members. In accordance with the pneumatic phase use may be made of a beater of the type disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4. Such beater includes a cylindricalbody 91 having ahead or disk 92 at each end. A hub 93 having spokes 94 is connected with each disk or head 92, and this is accomplished by securing said spokes 94 to said disk or head 92 in any suitable manner. Blade-like beater members 95 each have the opposite ends thereof respectively fastened in any suitable manner as at 96 to flanges 97 on the heads 92. The body 91 is provided with air openings 98 in the form of slots extending lengthwise of the body 91 adjacent the members 95 respectively. The hubs 93 are adapted to accommodate a shaft 99 to which the hubs are fastened. The shaft 99 will have the oppositeends thereof journaled in bearings outside of the casing of the machine, and the wall of the casing adj acenteach head 92 will'be provided with an opening 100 for the admission of air into the body 91. It will therefore be understood that when the heater is in motion blasts of air will be caused to flow from the openings 98, and in conjunction with the action of the beater members 95 will effectively subject the material to abeating and blowing action. As shown. in Figs. 5 and 6 a beater is produced from a single length of pipe 105 having air openings 106 in the form of slots extending longitudinally thereof. Blade-like beater members 107 are welded to the pipe 105 respectively adjacent said openings 106 disposed parallel thereto, or in other words longitudinally of the pipe 105. An element consisting of a hub 108 and spokes 109 is arrangedin each end of the pipe 105, said spokes being secured as at 110 to said pipe 105. .It will be apparent that this type of beater will function similarly to the type of beater shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This type of beater has been illustrated in Figs. 2 and 2 designated 26.

In Fig. 'Z'of the drawing there has been shown a modified form of device embodying the mechanical and pneumatic features hereinabove set forth, and serves as a cleaner of hand picked cotton and also as a feeder, for feeding the clean cotton into agin. The device includes a casing 115 having an inlet 116 and an outlet 117. The casing 115 is substantially cylindrical, and is provided with a hinged door 118 to afford access to the interior thereof. Arranged within the casing 115 is a beater 119 of the type shown in Figs. 3and 4. A screen 120 is arranged between the cylindrical wall of the casing and the periphery of the beater 119. Feeding elements 121 are arranged within the casing at the inlet 116 to feed the cotton to the beater 119. A spiral conveyor 122 extending into the casing 115 below the screen serves to carry away trash, dust and other foreign matter separated from the cotton in the cleaning operation. The cotton is cleaned by the action of the beater 119 in conjunction w" the screen 120, said heater functioning to ject the cotton to a beating action while fort ing currents of air through the cotton in the rotation of the heater.

1 claim 1. A cotton huller and cleaner, including an endless movable belt having picker points, heaters arranged to di charge material into the operative area or" said belt to separate the hulls from the cotton, and a screen below said heaters, to separate the dirt and trash from the cotton the cotton is being subjected to the action of the heaters and said belt.

2. A cotton huller and cleaner, including an endless movable belt having picker point-s, heat rs arranged to throw material against the surface of said belt to separate the hulls from the cotton, a screen below said heaters, to separate the dir and trash from the cotton as the cotton is being subjected to the action of the heaters and said i elt, and means for adjusting and maintaining the belt under proper tension.

3. A cotton huller and cleaner, including an endless movable belt having picker points, heaters arranged in spaced relationship to successively receive and discharge material against the surface of said belt to separate the hulls from the cotton, a screen below said heaters, to separate the dirt and trash from the cotton as the cotton is being subjected to the action or" the heaters and said belt, a conveyor cooperatively arranged with res ect to said belt, and means which cooperates with said belt to remove the hulls from the belt into said conveyor, t e conveyor serving to carry said hulls to suitable point of disposal.

l. A cotton huller and cleaner, including an endless movable belt having picker points, eaters arranged adjacent said belt to separate the hulls "from the cotton by throwing the same against said belt and allowing unimpaled material to be again received in said heaters for renewed discharge, each of said heaters consisting of a hollow body on which beater members are ar anged, said body having openings therein through which air passes in streams induced by the motion of the heater, to blow the cotton against the belt.

5. In a cleaning machine of the class de scribed, an endless movable belt having pickng means thereon, a chamber having an inlet below said belt, l

ro means within s& in chamber operable to constantly beat fibrous material fed into said chamber through said inlet, and also to cause movement of the material toward the lower lead of said belt, while inducing currents of air to circulate through the material, said belt serving to carry away material picked up by said liching means during the operation of the rotatory means and movement of said belt.

6. In a cleaning machine of the class described, an endless movable belt having picking means thereon, a chamber having an inlet below said belt, rotatory means within said chamber operable to constantly beat fibrous material fed into said chamber through said inlet, and also to cause movement of the material toward the lower lead to said belt, while inducing currents of air to circulate through the material, said belt serving to carry away material picked up by said picking means during the operation of the rotatory means and movement of said belt, and a screen below said rotatory means for separating waste particles from the fibrous material.

'7. In a cleaning machine of the class described, an endless movable belt having picking means thereon, a chamber having an inlet below said belt, a plurality of combination rotary heaters and air blast elements within said chamber operable to constantly beat fibrous material led into said chamber through said i l t, and also to cause movement the material toward the lower lead to said belt, while inducing currents of air l 'ough the material, said belt away material picked up D ins durhw the operation oi said combination rotary heaters and air blast elements and movement of said belt.

8. in a cleaning machine of the described, an endless movable belt having picking means thereon a chamber having an inletbelow said belt, a plurality oi combination rotary heaters and air blast elements, together with an undulated screen below said elements in close proximity thereto for separating waste particles from the fibrous material within said chamber operable to constantly beat fibrous material fed into said chamber through said inlet, and also to cause movement of the material toward the lower lea d to said belt, while inducing currents of air to circulate through the material, said belt serving to carry away material picked up by said. pickii means during the operation of said combination rotary heaters and air blast elements and movement of said belt.

9. A cotton huller and cleaner including an endless movable belt having piclzer elements thereon, means operating below said belt for successively casting n'iaterial into the operative area of said belt to be continuousl impaled upon and carried oil by said belt, and cloning and stripping means also operating adjacent said be t to remove material therefrom.

10. A cotton huller and cleaner including continuously moving iirpaling means, and a series of juxtaposed beater elements below the impaling means for receiving and successively throwing mat rial against the impaling surface of said impaling means to be thereby CEI Inc

withdrawn from the operative area of said beater elements.

11. A cotton huller and cleaner including juxtaposed beater elements arranged to impart to the entering cotton a cleaning action as the latter is thrown from one to the other of said beater elements, and means operating above said beater element assembly to continuously impaleand carry off cotton adhering thereto when thrown by said beater elements, and means for removing cotton adhering to said impaling means.

12. In a cleaning machine of the character described, a series of relatively arranged rotary beater elements for beating material through said machine and inducing the circulation of air through said material, means carrying picker elements moving adjacent said beater elements for impaling and carrying off material cast by said beater elements out of their operative range.

13. In a. cleaning machine of the character described, a plurality of relatively disposed, cooperating beater elements constructed and 5 arranged to create continuous air currents through material while beating the latter in a progressive rotary manner through said machine and means for continuously impaling material thrown by said beater elements and conveying the same to a point of disposal.

14. In a cleaning machine of the character described, a series of co-operating beator elements constructed and arranged to maintain a continuous air draft through material while cleaning the same by a series of progressive rotary movements toward the outlet end of said machine, impaling means continuously receiving material thrown out 30 of the operative area of said beater elements,

and means for removing strippings and cotton from said impaling means.

JOSHUA G. CONRAD. 

